Having mouse problems?

This knowledge base article from Microsoft will guide you through the steps to resolve the following problems:

• The pointer may move erratically.
• The pointer may not respond when you move the pointing device.
• Button clicks may have no effect.
• The pointing device may stop working after a few minutes of use.
• Some options or tabs may be unavailable in the Mouse tool in Control Panel.
• If you connect a Microsoft Plug and Play Serial Mouse, Microsoft EasyBall, or Microsoft IntelliMouse to your computer, the new device may not be detected by Microsoft Windows. Running the Add New Hardware Wizard does not resolve the issue.

Just in case you cared, this is the mouse I use. Simple, basic, and works well for me (smaller hands).

ThinkAll used to be Manay Software

Seems ThinkAll wasn't the first time this company has ripped people off. It seems they used to be Manay Software and had been running the exact same scam. Read the ThinkAll rip off report that has save many people from losing money.

Check out these reports on Manay Software. Look familiar?

• Report 1
• Report 2
• Report 3

Be warned that ThinkAll will shut down and change its name and start all over again.

A teaser of what's to come

Upcoming blog posts:

• A tool that works great with Google Adsense
• Add Google stuff to your domain
• Get money for your big idea
• A huge collection of those small banner buttons like the ones on the right of this page for syndication
• A great online storage option

I will get these posted as soon as I get more time

Another delay

Another delay with getting back online and back to blogging, work, email, and just life as normal for me. Last week on the last day of vacation I received a call that my apartment had been destroyed by a flood of water. The upstairs apartment flooded mine with over 1000 gallons of water and took down the ceiling on top of everything. What a mess.

I should be back in a day or so once I can get things setup.

BREAKING NEWS: Pluto Demoted, No Longer a Planet

BREAKING NEWS: Pluto Demoted, No Longer a Planet: That's gotta screw up the science books.

XML Notepad 2006

XML Notepad 2006: "XML Notepad 2006 provides a simple intuitive User Interface for browsing and editing XML documents."

Quick post before dinner.

Bryce 3D v5.0 Free until Sept. 6th

Bryce 3D: "Create breathtakingly realistic 3D landscapes and animations with DAZ Bryce 5. Striking an optimum balance between power and ease of use, this innovative software is an ideal way to integrate 3D technology into your creative process. Smooth network rendering saves valuable time by letting you render images on multiple computers. The Light Lab gives you robust control over lighting direction, and the Tree Lab ensures a more accurate depiction of real-world environments. Plus, an intuitive user interface simplifies the design process."

I really wanted to get this posted as soon as possible. Bryce 3D is one of those fun applications.

Link:
http://www.download.com/Bryce/...

Still on vacation

Just got into Chattanooga, TN and looking forward to checking out what this city has to offer.

I haven't spent this much time away from the computer in a long time. Feels both nice and strange at the same point. Reason it feels strange is I feel so disconnected from 'information'. Haven't read a blog in days...

New Amazon video store?

Is this the new Amazon video store?: "People were snatching early glimpses of what may be Amazon.com's new video store on Friday, after a former employee posted screenshots of the store on his blog."

Another website completed - just in time for vacation

Heading out of town for vacation and completed another website. Brenda Kyzer a pro racquetball player asked me to do a website for her and of course I said yes. Where am I going? Heading to Chattanooga, TN. Hopefully I will get some time to blog a bit at night but expect the posts to be really slow next week. Now if I can just unglue this keyboard from my hands I will be all set to go.

(leaving on Saturday)

Exclusive Microsoft Zune Details

Microsoft Zune details slowly being released into the wild. We are getting closer to Microsoft releasing its iPod killer.

Link:
http://...exclusive-microsoft-zune-details-194957.php

Google Analytics open to everyone

Google Analytics has been open to anyone who wants to try it out and try it out you should. Google Analytics, which was once Urchin, is the best free web stats tool around. I have been testing this for a couple of months and the stas it reports far exceeds anything else you can use; like Webalizer or Awstats. Plus you don't need to get the logs or keep the logs on your servers.

Downside? Google will learn and have knowledge about every aspect of your website. You think Google is stupid? Of course not. This is just another way for them to collect and store data on you. Feed me seymour!

Link:
http://.../were-open-instant-access-now-available_15.html

Slide adds a slideshow to any website

You can easily add a slideshow to any website using the services provided by Slide. Pictures can come from various sources like: Flickr, Photobucket, MySpace, or your hard drive. The only thing I wish they allowed was the removal of the slideshow aspect and an option for just a click through gallery.

Oh and the resultant slideshow is in Flash format.

Link:
http://www.slide.com

Microsoft giving out Windows Vista Beta 2 CDs

Just answer some questions and Microsoft will send you Windows Vista Beta 2 CDs. Will they? Answer the questions and find out.

Its on the India site but who knows...

Link:
http://www.microsoft.com/.../offers/vista/quiz.aspx

Get your own web 2.0 logo with this online creator

Like the Veign 2.0 logo? This was done using an online web 2.0 logo creator and about 5 seconds of my life. Not too shabby if you ask me.

Link:
http://msig.info/web2.php

Web application hack tools

PortSwigger.net contains a great collection of freeware web application hack tools. The best way to see what they are all about is to download the Burp Suite and give it a try.

Link:
http://portswigger.net/

Cool: Google Maps Listings get Coupons

Google Local Business Center now allows a business to add coupons to their listings. This is cool for people like me who are always using Google Maps for locating local business'.

Let Google users print your coupons and bring them to your business.Coupons will appear alongside your business listing on Google Maps.

Link:
http://www.google.com/local/add/coupons

A better way to control file associations

WAssociate makes editing file associations on your Windows system a snap. It will let you control everything from the default icons, to the file that opens when a file is double-clicked. I usually go straight into the registry for doing this but now it seems that WAssociate will make things just a bit easier. I know Windows does this but I never really liked working through the provided interface.

Link:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~wstudios/Associate/index.html

Finally a new version of Blogger

A beta version of Blogger is being released which adds functionality. The only new things that I can see is;

• Categorize your posts with labels
• Control who can read your blog
• Change the appearance and content of your blog with your mouse instead of HTML

I currently do not have access to the Beta but will post when i get to play around with it - I don't feel like creating a new account just to play around with it (ok. maybe I will)

Be your own X-box game designer

Microsoft announced its Build Your Own Xbox Game program where they will give anyone who wants it the ability to design and create a game for the X-box gaming system. What's the catch? A $99 yearly fee. Not bad considering a game costs $50 and you probably would get more milage out of this than any one game - if you're into this sorta thing.

Story:
http://.../article/Microsoft_Build_Your_Own_Xbox_Game

1000th Post

1000th post since I first started blogging on September 1, 2005

50 Coolest Websites of 2006

Lets rename this to some of the more interesting websites you may not have heard of .

Blog Sites (sampling):

• www.overheardinnewyork.com
• postsecret.blogspot.com
• bayraider.tv
• www.anonymouslawyer.blogspot.com

Introducing Windows Live Writer

Windows Live Writer beta was released by Microsoft. Since I really don't have much to say about this you should check out the blog entry to learn more about it. Windows Live, for some reason, bores me - no reason but it does...

Link:
http://windowslivewriter.spaces.live.com/...

Google search results includes movie trailers

Try for yourself- results include movie trailers, cinema locations, and start times.

The Visual Dictionary

The Visual Dictionary - a visual exploration of words in the real world.: "The Visual Dictionary is a collection of words in the real world. Photographs of signage, graffiti, advertising, tattoos, you name it, we're trying to catalogue it."

Words in TVD: 2118
Images in TVD: 3095

I need to find an image of Veign in the wild. I think there is a town in Germany called Veign - anyone have a picture of a street sign? If so, send it my way.

Link:
http://thevisualdictionary.net/

One Update to rule them all

Micorsoft has finally released a Windows Update engine (via Internet Explorer) to update both Windows and Office products. About time.

Works like a charm too.

Link:
http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/...

One of the best lists for videos on the web

SarahinTampa's blog contains one of the best lists for videos on the Web. Not only do you get an organized list but you get a brief description of what you can expect to find at the site.

My pick for video of the year (X-Games rock!)

Online surveys made easy with Zoomerang

Zoomerang makes it quite easy to setup, distribute and analyze an online survey. They have a basic version that is free but very limited, however for a 'real' survey its gonna cost you a pretty penny.

Link:
http://info.zoomerang.com/

Free patent search online

FreePatentsOnline.com provides fast, free patent searching, with powerful features such as PDF downloading, search managment functions, collaborative document folders, and more. Sign up today -- it's free!

The Good:

• Its free
• The search is Fast
• Seems pretty comprehensive
• Search capabilities are powerful (read the help)
  

The Bad:

• Google Ads push information too far down on a page (on a patent)
• When the search can't find a text-form patent, the resultant page isn't too clear that there is a PDF version (maybe Google Ads cluttering the view)
  

The Ugly:

• Not too much except I don't really like the design of the content area on the homepage - too busy looking

Link:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com

Make IE7 appear to be IE6 to a website

User Agent String Utility 2: "A utility that opens an Internet Explorer 7.0 window that is configured to report its identity to websites as being Internet Explorer 6.0."

Link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...

Homeland Security: Fix your Windows

Homeland Security: Fix your Windows | CNET News.com: "In a rare alert, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has urged Windows users to plug a potential worm hole in the Microsoft operating system."

How I finally got IE7 Beta 3 installed

Had a test system (old laptop used for testing and traveling) with IE7 Beta 2 installed. I followed the steps outlined by the IE team for removing beta 2 and installing beta 3 and, of course, it didn't work. Could no stop the error about a previous version installed which prevented the install of beta 3.

Here's what finally worked after many attempts at various things (thanx to comments on the IE Blog):

1. Download and install Unlocker.
2. Right-click on the folder /Program Files/Internet Explorer and choose Unlocker
3. Select Unlock All from the bottom
4. Close Unlocker and delete the folder
5. Restart the system and install IE 7 Beta 3

Evil and nasty toys

A photoshop contest asking for the worst ideas for a toy resulted in some very funny entrants. How would you like a Kevorkian Kit or Babies First Lighter?

Link:
http://www.worth1000.com/...

MSDN Library now free!!!

MSDN Library May 2006 Edition: "The MSDN® Library is an essential resource of information for developers using Microsoft® tools, products, and technologies."

Wow. Microsoft is now making the MSDN library free for all from now on. Impressive.

Link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...

BOOT.INI Reference

Sysinternals Freeware's BOOT.INI Reference is one of the most complete references for the boot.ini file and its option reference. Not too sure how many would have a need for this but it's nice to know its around if you ever do.

Link:
http://www.sysinternals.com/Information/bootini.html

Patch in for McAfee holes

Patch in for McAfee holes: "McAfee has patched flaws in its SecurityCenter software, pervasive technology found in all of its consumer products from VirusScan to Total Protection to its Internet Security Suite."

Not like I use McAfee but thought other may need to know about this.

What do I use?

• Windows Defender
• Malicious Software Removal Tool
  
• Norton Antivirus (or AVG for some clients who don't want to spend the money)
• Adaware (not used as much anymore because Windows Defender)
• Spybot (not used as much anymore because Windows Defender)

Microsoft Speech RECKognition

When a product demo goes bad for MS, again. Was it real?

Google Zeitgeist

"Pulling together interesting search trends and patterns requires Google's human and computing power together. Search statistics are automatically generated based on the millions of searches conducted on Google over a given period of time - weekly, monthly, and annually."

Ok, so its not as good as the AOL screw up but its something.

(does this mean I need to be blogging about reichen lehmkuhl (#1 search this week) to get more traffic - yeah, right!)

Link:
http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html

The Big Google List:
http://www.veign.com/blog/2006/06/big-google-list.html

Paper Art: made from a single piece of paper

Peter Callesen creates works of art from paper, and quite good at that.

Get the AOL Search Data that was released

From these AOL search data mirrors that have been setup now you can see the 600,000 search results.

Amazing when you start looking through that someone thought this was a good idea. When you start looking through the data you can start to identify people and the searches they are doing (some kinda scary).

Still deciding on whether I will throw up a quick website to make the search results searchable...

I hate software lists

Then why am I posting another list: The Ultimate List of Free Windows Software from Microsoft? Because this one lists all the free software offered by Microsoft. Probably never knew there was so much available.

Link:
http://bhandler.spaces.live.com/...

Digital Photography Tutorials

Digital Photography Tutorials is probably one of the best collections of digital photography tutorials I have come across. While on the site be sure to check out his gallery and the amazing pictures he has taken.

Link:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm

Is this the Ultimate Boot CD?

(Before I give the information I am warning that I in no way am pushing pirated software just writing what others seem to think is the best)

Hiren's BootCD seems to be what others have determined to be the ultimate boot CD. If you want to do this right then you won't use this download link - you would instead purchase the proper licenses for all software.

The boot CD that I have used for a long time is the Ultimate Boot CD and is a freeware solution. Also, in a pinch Knoppix or Slax can be of great help.

Yahoo! Search Builder

With Yahoo! Search Builder you can create a custom Web search engine by selecting a set of trusted sites to search across or you can tune the search algorithm to the topic of your choice. Beyond Web search, Search Builder includes Site search and News search.

Announcment:
http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000339.html

WEB2DNA: Your website's DNA profile

(Veign's homepage DNA profile)

Just another way to evaluate the make-up of a webpage. Useful? maybe. Cool? indeed.

Basically it parses a webpage and displays color bars of varying brightness depending on the HTML element and its importance on a page.

Link:
http://www.baekdal.com/web2dna/

Reviews for Tuscan Whole Milk

Reviews for Tuscan Whole Milk, 1 Gallon, 128